NZ expect aerial bombardment

Pretoria – The All Blacks hope to beat the Springboks with counter-attacking rugby when the Tri-Nations kicks off on July 10.

New Zealand wing Cory Jane said that they are once again anticipating an aerial attack from the Boks, but this time the South African defence may be in for a surprise.

“I know the change in the laws has led to fewer kicks, but I expect the same tactic as last year from the Springboks. But this time we’ll look for more counter-attacking opportunities,” said Jane.

New Zealand could not cope with the aerial bombardment from South Africa last year.

“The more they kick, the more we will counter-attack,” Jane told NZPA.

“We have showed this year that counter-attacking can be the key to success. If we keep working hard, it will also bring us success against the Boks.”

Meanwhile, All Black hooker Corey Flynn received the go-ahead to play against the Boks.

Flynn, who played well for the New Zealand Maori against Ireland and England, is over his ankle injury.

The All Blacks get together in Auckland on Thursday for a short training camp and according to coach Graham Henry it’s now time to take on the big dogs.

“The Tri-Nations is the toughest competition in international rugby. We did well by winning the first four Tests, but this is the real test,” said the coach.

“We have enough reason to be optimistic about our chances, but every one of us will have to do his bit if we are going to be successful."

The Kiwis are hoping that their lineout woes from last year against the Boks are something of the past following the success against Wales and Ireland.

All Black lock Tom Donnelly said that the Tri-Nations would be a genuine test of their progress.

“I did not play in the competition last year, but reckon things are going reasonably well. We’ll have to improve in the next few weeks,” Donnelly told the All Blacks’ website.

Meanwhile, Wallaby coach Robbie Deans has the backing of Australian rugby bosses in spite of his team’s 56% winning ration.

Deans met with Australian Rugby Union high performance manager David Nucifora and chief executive John O’Neill this week.

“Yes, the team has to try harder, but Robbie is the right man to steer the ship,” said O’Neill.

Sport24

Comments

Dingbat - 2010-06-30 10:18

The Kiwi's have the right approach but it is going to be difficult against the Boks who can easily win anywhere they play. The key is to win your home games and build from there.

Springboks - 2010-06-30 10:21

2011 is the one we dream of, this is just a dress rehearsal..

Springboks - 2010-06-30 10:22

2011 is the one we dream of, this is just a dress rehearsal..

Peet G4 - 2010-06-30 11:09

And who is going to be part of this attack? Ricky January??? Zane Kirchner???

Rob - 2010-06-30 11:12

Boks have better counter attack at the moment than NZ. The better we get the more 1 dimensional NZ look. Tri-nations will be in the bag.

SuperBull - 2010-06-30 11:13

@dingbat, yes we have to win our home games but that alone is not going to secure us the tri-nations trophy and to add to the difficulty of this tri-nations we start with 3 away matches 2 vs the All Blacks and 1 against Aus... so defending the cup will be a little bit harder for the boks...

Without Fourie du Preez the kicking game of the Boks won't be as effective. I think the key for the Boks would be to slow down the game, play around the fringes alot with our heavies and have patience. A lot of it. Tap the energy of the opposition and strike with the back line when necessary. Counter attacking from NZ-backline mistakes might also win the game.
The Boks will also put pressure on the set pieces which will frustrate NZ into furhter mistakes.

Stupid! - 2010-06-30 11:44

It is sooooooooooooo obvious the AB’s are sh$tting themselves if they think about the possible aerial bombardment! Why else would Jane “warn” the Boks to think twice about it then? Simple, because they very well know that they won’t be able to handle it! Why would he “warn” the Boks that they might have a few surprises with counter-attack from high kicks? It takes the surprise out of their so-called “surprises”. No mate the AB’s is sh$tting themselves because they know that they are useless under the high ball (especially Rocokoko) Jane is the best wing in NZ (excluding Gear who couldn’t find a spot in the group...OMG!) and will walk into any international team but is, like most sheep shaggers, not very clever!

@Antie Gary Owen, i totally agree with u...Its so sad to pay all that money to watch rugby be transformed into a game of "aerial ping pong"...i wish so that the old law of only been allowed to kick the ball in your own 22 will be brought back...@stupid, your name say's it all based on your stupid comments....

ian - 2010-06-30 14:06

@Dingbat, we cannot bank on building from our home games - they are at the backend of the tournament this year. Essentially have to bottle it up before coming home.
But we can do it. Dont change the game plan to much. It works.

Tappet with mullet... - 2010-06-30 16:34

@ antie Gary Owen: So, it's actually better to have a 'running' game-plan than to win? No wonder the Stormers can't win a championship... I don't get it... Maybe that's my problem, I'm a Bulls fan. If you guys haven't realised it yet, you should play to win, and if that means you have to kick a lot, so be it. It's a lot easier to score from the opposition's mistakes, when they are under pressure in their own half, than to run the ball from your own 22-meter line, and risk the ball being turned around, knocked, intercepted or lost forward. You may score against the minnow teams, but with the top rugby nations' defensive strategies, isn't it just a lot easier to pin them back into their own half, apply pressure, and watch them crumble? If those principles work in S14 and CC rugby, should it not also be effective in test rugby? I'm quite sure you revel in the 2007 WC crown. Why would you want to give it up just in order to play an 'attractive game'?

blou bul - 2010-06-30 19:18

dont worry, we have "papsak snorre" habana to sort them out and old mcdonalds january! I like ou Aplon, he has a big heart, but the kiwis gonna kill him with their running rugby, i mean 120kg against 80kg is insane?

fonuatanu - 2010-06-30 20:37

SA rugby has only been at the pinnacle for one year. they seldom win back to back and they hardly ever won the tri nation and s14 in the same year, infact take a look at the history when was the last time??? uh huh, a little while now. yet people talk here like all they have to do is make it to the pitch and you automatically win. i have said it time and time again, led by their beloved PDV, SA fans are like the hyenas of of the rugby world, they just sniff blood and they start saying stupid, and incoherant things..heheheheh

NZAC - 2010-06-30 21:21

Kiwis are really getting desperate, using the ozzies tried and tested old method of mind games, I thought some kiwi rugby would rub off onto the ozzies with Deans there?! Just goes to show the type of pressure the kiwis are under for next year's wc.

Oval-Balled Einstein - 2010-06-30 22:04

Counter-attacking is the way to beat the Boks. It's why the Kiwis always destroy Ireland, and yet Ireland always beats the Boks (at least for the past three or four years). If the Boks had played the second half the way they played the first half against Ireland in Dublin last November, by running at the opposition with penetration and power and scoring tries, they would have won it easily. But they stupidly switched to a disastrous kicking game instead, out of habit. The Kiwis will exploit the Bok kicking game this time round just as the Irish did in that second half, so it's time the Boks added attacking running rugby and keeping possession to their T3 strategy. Last year's tactics won't work this year.